Stories for October 5th 2017

Brazil’s Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles has hired social media experts to boost his image ahead of the 2018 election, the Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Rio do Janeiro media have anticipated, the sign yet that the former banker is seriously eyeing a run for president.

The number of Chinese visitors to the Antarctic Peninsula is growing rapidly, adding to concerns over the fragile ecosystem. It’s almost a three-week trip and will cost at least 100,000 Yuan (US$15,000), and before a foot is set on frozen land, special boots are needed to walk over a sponge mat soaked in disinfectant. Besides this season Chinese tourists will have to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions.

United Kingdom and Europe must agree on a Brexit transition deal by Christmas or risk banks triggering their contingency plans, the Bank of England has warned. Deputy governor Sam Woods said that while the UK is committed to a implementation period, the EU's position is not yet clear.

When the Brexit referendum result was announced last June, I was working on the Turks and Caicos Islands, one of the UK’s overseas territories in the Caribbean. A collection of about 40 tropical islands, of which eight are inhabited, people there were shocked at the result. They were annoyed they hadn’t had a chance to vote, and concerned about their future.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com - Say what you will about offshore oil and gas exploration, but it's still alive and kicking—high production costs and all. The latest demonstration of the viability of deepwater projects, even in the post-2014 oil industry era, comes from none other than Brazil.

Battle of Britain Sunday commemorates the great victory won by the Royal Air Force (RAF), which saved Britain from invasion in 1940. On Sunday 15 September came what Sir Winston Churchill called “one of the decisive battles of the war” and with it, the Luftwaffe’s greatest defeat.

More than 40 islands visited by cruise ships on Caribbean itineraries have a message they want to share: They are open, fully operational, welcoming ships full of cruise passengers and hoping more will follow. Included are places that saw some damage from the September hurricanes but have already recovered.

Tory MPs have rallied round Theresa May after her conference speech on Wednesday was marred by mishaps. James Cleverly said he was “proud” of the PM for contending with a persistent cough and a prankster and John Redwood said MPs backed her “strong message”.

Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay formally launched South America’s three-nation bid to host the 2030 World Cup on Wednesday and said Argentina would likely host the majority of the tournament’s stadiums. The presidents of the three nations, who announced in August that they were teaming up to bid for the tournament, kicked off the campaign at the Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires’ government palace.

Three full days after Catalonia’s controversial independence referendum, a top European Commission official finally spoke out about the issue tearing Spain apart. The Spanish government’s “proportionate use of force” was necessary to uphold the rule of law, Vice President Frans Timmermans said.